Traction attachment for vehicles.



No. 790,723. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

W. W. CLARK. TRACTION ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' N0.790,72s. PATENTED MAY23,1905.

I w. w. CLARK.

TRAGTION ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII PT. 28, 1904.

' .Mallw 2 fi ney UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 190 5.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRACTION ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,723, dated May 23,1905.

Application filed September 28, 1904. Serial No. 226,370-

To (LZZ whmn it ntwy concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIE W. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction Attachments forVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicles, but more spokes of the wheel andextending throughthe wheel-felly and into apertures in the tire, ofmeans for simultaneously projecting these spurs beyond the periphery ofthe wheel and rigidly holding them in their projected positions.

It further consists in the means whereby the spurs may be simultaneouslyretracted and in the various details of construction shown andhereinafter described.

III the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side View of an automobileprovided with the traction mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line2 2, Fig. 1, with. the forward end of the operating-rod broken away.Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is anenlarged vertical section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is avertical transverse section taken on line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is asimilar section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlargedhorizontal section taken on line 7 7, Fig. 4, showing an inner view of aportion of the wheel-felly. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of thelongitudinallyslotted shifting sleeve.

Referring to the drawings in detail, similar letters of reference referto similar parts in the several figures.

A designates the vehicle as a whole, herein shown as an automobile; butit is to be understood that my improved device may be applied to otherstyles of vehicles, though it is particularly intended for use with thedriving-wheels of motor-cars.

B designates the usual hollow axle of automobiles, which incloses thedriving-shaft C and is held rigid in the reach-rods D or in any othermanner.

The driving-wheels E are afliXed to the shaft C, so as to revolvetherewith, and each wheel has its felly and tire perforated at pointsbetween the spokes, as at c, for the reception of metallic thimbles orsleeves F, which are driven into the perforations from the inner side ofthe felly and extend partly into the tire. Each sleeve has its inner endflanged, as at G, through which screws 9 are passed, which screw intothe felly and securely hold the sleeves in place. The spurs are arrangedradially between the spokes of the wheel with their outer ends heldnormally in the perforations, the extremities being a slight distancefrom the outer periphery of the tire to permit the latter to yield underthe weight of the vehicle without exposing the spurs. The spurs areguided in the sleeves F and between two annular guide-strips H, whichare held against the spokes by bolts h, passing through the same. Theinner ends of the spurs are provided with rollers I, which are engagedby shifting mechanism to be hereinafter described, whereby the spurs areprojected for contact with the road. Each spur is provided with a collarJ, between which and the sleeves F spiral springs K, that surround thespurs, are interposed, said springs acting against the collars to holdthe spurs in their normal or retracted positions.

Splined to the hollow axle near opposite ends, so as to slide thereon,are cone-sleeves L, each having a cone Z threaded on its inner end.Ashifting sleeve M surrounds each end of the aXle and the hub of theadjacent wheel, and between the same and the cones l areantifriction-balls m. Each shifting sleeve is slotted at its outer endto form a series of arms N, which extend outward between the spokes ofthe wheels. The outer ends of said arms are threaded on the inner sideto receive an annulus O, which prevents the withdrawal of the shiftingsleeve from its position around the hub. The outer faces of said armsare inclined upward and rearward to form wedge-faces, which are movedunderneath the rollers at the inner ends of the spurs on shifting thesleeves to force said spurs outward for the purpose of increasing thetraction. As a further aid to the free movement of the shifting sleeve Iprovide rollers Q, which are located between the arms of the shiftingsleeve and the hubs of the wheels. Each roller is journaled in a bracketsecured to the hub.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the shifting sleeves revolve withthe wheels, and the spurs are projected by outward movement of thesleeves on the axle. It is therefore necessary that provision be made toshift the sleeve without interference to its revolving motion. To thisend I provide each sleeve, at the inner end thereof, with an annulargroove R, in which rollers s are positioned, which are secured to thefork-arms of forked bell-crank levers S, pivoted to a fixed part of thevehicle, the free ends of said levers being connected to a T-rod S,whose ends are provided with studs T, working in slots in said free endsof the bell-crank levers. Said T-rod is operated by a hand-lever U,standing within the body of the vehicle, and when said T-rod is movedbackward the outer ends of said bell-crank levers are moved outward,carrying the shifting sleeve outward and simultaneously projecting thespurs. The T-rod is restored to its normal position by a coil-spring V,surroundiin said rod and lying between a collar W, rigidly attached tothe rod and a projection 11) on the vehicle-body. A quadrant it looksthe hand lever at any desired point. I

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a vehicle-wheel, of 'a radial series of spurs having their outerends normally within the periphery of the wheel, and horizontalwedge-arms lying be tween the spokes of the wheel and being adapted toforce the spurs outward to project the outer ends of the same beyond theperiphery of the wheel.

2. The combination with the axle and the vehiclewheel, of a radialseries of spurs located between the spokes of the wheel with the outerends passed through the felly and entering the tire thereof, and ashifting sleeve surrounding the axle and having outwardly-extending armslying between the spokes, said arms having inclined outer faces adaptedto act against the inner ends of the spurs to project the outer ends ofthe same beyond the periphery of the wheel.

3. The combination with the axle and the vehicle-wheel, of a radialseries of spurs located between the spokes of the wheel with the outerends passed through the felly and entering the tire thereof, and ashifting sleeve surrounding the axle and having out wardly-extendingwedge-arms lying between said spokes, said arms bein connected at theirouter ends to prevent isplacement of the sleeve and adapted to actagainst the inner ends of the spurs to project the outer ends of thesame beyond the periphery of the wheel.

4. The combination with the axle and the vehicle-wheel, of a radialseries of spurs located between the spokes of the wheel with the outerends passed through the felly and entering the tire thereof, a shiftingsleeve surrounding the axle and having outwardlyextending wedge-armslying between said spokes, and an annulus threaded on the outer ends ofsaid wedge-arms, the latter be ing adapted to act against the inner endsof the spurs to roject the outer ends of the same beyond t e peripheryof the wheel.

5. The combination with a vehicle-wheel, of a radial series of spurshaving their outer ends normally within the periphery of the wheel andeach provided with a roller at its inner end, and alongitudinally-movable shifting sleeve surrounding the hub of the wheeland having wedge-arms lying between the spokes of the wheel and incontact with the said rollers.

6. The combination with a vehicle-wheel, of a radial series of spurshaving their outer ends normally within the periphery of the wheel andeach provided with a roller at its inner end, a longitudinally-movableshifting sleeve having inclined wedge-arms between the spokes of thewheel, and rollers between said wedge-arms and said. hub.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIE W. CLARK.

Witnesses:

M. SERVERT, CHAs. F. BURKHART.

